Kansas Summer

Country Boys Don't Belong In the City

            “Colin!” a voice hisses, “What are you doing on the couch?  Didn’t I get a bed out for you, you ungrateful pig?”  My eyes groggily flutter open, and I rub them sleepily.  I sit up, and try to comprehend my situation.  It is still dark outside, but Sean stands over me, dressed in a business suit and carrying a briefcase.

            “It was Morgan’s choice,” I groan, flipping over to try and sleep more, but Sean shakes me.

            “What business is it of yours to care what she thinks?”

            I sit up on the couch, turning to face him.  “What business?  Sean, she is my sister.  She’s the only relative I have left, and I will treat her with respect, whether you do or not.  She doesn’t deserve to be treated the way you treat her.  She doesn’t even know who her real mom is.”

            I can see a fire burning in Sean’s eyes.  “Make sure it stays that way,” he growls, “If you mess up things in this house, I am not afraid to set you out on the street, understood?”

            I understand, but say nothing.  Sean straightens his tie, and then trots out of the room, and out the door.  I disregard his words and flip over on the other side of the couch cushion and try and get more sleep.

            I don’t get more than an hour’s worth of sleep before I am awake again.  This time, it’s my mom who wakes me up.  “Colin, wake up!  Wake up, stupid!”  My eyes flutter open; I’m unaware of how much sleep I’ve gotten tonight.  I roll off the couch, and stretch.

            “I’m up,” I grumble.  My stepmom pulls her pink silk bathrobe closer to her.  She looks ridiculous in her morning outfit, with fluffy pink slippers and a pink towel in her hair.  It’s almost like someone dumped her in a giant bottle of Pepto-Bismol.  She puts her hands on her hips.

            “Well?”

            “Well, what?” I ask, confused.

            “Breakfast!  You need to take Morgan to school!”

            I am almost about to complain, and then take another nap, but I check myself.  It’s a good thing that I have some time with Morgan alone.  We are free to talk, uninhibited by her parents, or the people who called themselves her parents.  What I had been told by Sean distresses me; Morgan had to know the truth.

            My step-mom turns around, fawning over Morgan as she comes out of her room.  “Morgan Elizabeth!  Have I told you how beautiful you are?”

            Her words catch me by surprise, not suspecting that such nice words could be uttered by such a despicable woman, and I quickly turn to see the cause of the sudden commotion.  Morgan stands in the doorway of her room, scowling, and not being able to look more embarrassed.  She has reapplied her makeup, hiding her scars.

            Morgan turns her nose up a bit at her.  “No, I don’t.”

            “But of course, darling!  You look much better than your hick brother who flew in yesterday because daddy died!”  She turns around and smiles, mocking my pain.  I cringe, and look away, trying to forget her words.

            Morgan glares at her mother.  “Don’t talk that way,” she warns her.  “He was my dad too.”

            “Oh, he was an awful role model!” my step-mom spits.  “He was self-obsessed, arrogant, and cared more about money than he cared about you!”